Growing a Friendship
by Radkoko
Summary: After the Nine-Tails attack the Hokage needs to know who is still loyal to Konoha. He has a number of citizens being watched by the ANBU, including Iruka, but what happens when Iruka gets too close to one of his watchers?


**A/N:** This was my piece written for Squeakyninja over on the livejournal community. Happy Winterfest readers, Enjoy.

* * *

An elderly man stood backlit by the window, waiting for the company that was sure to arrive any second. In a wave of light smoke, a group of masked shinobi appeared in the room, waiting for an explanation from the man. The Sandaime looked around the office that had become his once again, not exactly comfortable with what he needed to discuss. The Hokage tossed down a dozen file folders on the desk that stood between him and the shinobi.

"These are a number of citizens that I need you to keep an eye on," he began. Even without being able to see the faces, Hiruzen could feel the apprehension of the ANBU, as they seemed to be waiting for the catch. He picked up a selection of the folders, fanning them out on top of the others. "These are citizens that have been orphaned after the Nine-tails attack. The five here are all civilians. I don't expect desertion or revenge from any of them; just hatred and anger. Viper, Bear, and Raccoon, take turns watching over each of the civilians for the next two weeks, day surveillance only, and then report back to me. We'll discuss further assignments at that time."

Hiruzen dismissed the listed ANBU after he handed off the folders, and picked up the next stack.

"These three are younger children, yet to truly know their chakra, and at a young enough age to not realize the importance of the recent attack. Sparrow and Tortoise, I think it will be fine if you watch all three. If you need any additional surveillance I'll assign more ANBU to assist you." He watched as they disappeared from the line-up. "Hawk, these two are older teens that are of Chunin level. They have both shown a large amount of loyalty to the village, but I need an extra eye on them for a short time being." The Third Hokage picked up the last folders from his desk, walking closer to the ANBU for the more personal cases.

"These last three are the ones I need the most watch over." Hiruzen paused, pulling out the file folder from the diminished stack. "Suube Yajiro, second year academy student. His parents were early responders to the attack. Tiger, Rat, and Dragon, I need an eye on him, to make sure he does nothing stupid." He looked at the final two folders in his hand, consciously placing the larger folder on the bottom. "Yume Ibara, recently graduated Genin, her parents were civilians trapped in a collapsed building, I'm worried about the anger she holds towards the shinobi that were unable to protect her parents who were helpless themselves. Otter, Mouse, and Fox, you're assigned to her."

He allowed all of the assigned ANBU to leave before he started on the final case. When the final three ANBU were fully focused, Hiruzen started again. "Umino Iruka, about to enter the academy. The boy has always been a bit mischievous, although never dangerous. He's never seemed the vengeful type, but the incident that occurred on that night has me wanting to be cautious with him. Iruka is one of the only children that somehow got out on the battlefield. Even some of our younger Jounin were kept out of the battle. On the night of the attack we had him out with his parents and he was forcibly removed from them as he watched them fight for the last moments of their life. There are many ways his life may play out from this point, and I need you three to watch over him through constant surveillance and report anything of suspicion to me before something happens that might be irreversible. This is your task until further notice, Wolf, Hound, and Boar."

The Sandaime nodded to the final three, waiting for their acknowledgement before they too disappeared.

* * *

Iruka ran through the training grounds, throwing a few kunai behind him. Within a few seconds a small explosion lit up from where they landed, but to Iruka's dismay the figure following him zoomed through the cloud of smoke.

"Just leave me alone already!" The young boy yelled as he threw a smoke bomb at his feet, disappearing into nothing. Iruka's chakra wasn't strong enough yet for him to transport with, so he hid himself in a tree as the masked shinobi following him ran past the smoke to continue the chase. Iruka laughed into his hand, proud of himself for tricking the elite shinobi. He allowed himself to stretch out on the branch, deciding to relax after being chased for the afternoon.

"Not fast enough. He let you get away," a voice said to his right. Startled, Iruka flinched and began to slip off the branch. He grasped for a hold to avoid falling from the tree. The ANBU grabbed ahold of his wrist, and pulled him back onto the branch.

When Iruka caught his breath, he was seething in anger. "Why would you do that?" Iruka yelled, "I almost fell. Aren't the ANBU meant to protect Konoha citizens, not try to hurt us!"

The ANBU remained silent and Iruka noticed two things. One, it wasn't the same ANBU that had been previously chasing him, the other one looked a little more like a wolf, while this mask held a softer look to it, less vicious; maybe a dog. Second, was the size of the ANBU. The previous ANBU, along with most Jounin in the village were much taller than him, though this one seemed to be the same height as him when seated.

"How are you an ANBU at such a young age?" Iruka asked, his anger completely forgotten.

The ANBU remained still for a few moments, then shrugged his shoulders, "I enjoy the challenge. How did you know I was young?"

"Intuition?" Iruka suggested as he studied the boy, cocking his head to the side, as his mind raced furiously.

He was trying to search his memory to find a face to match the voice, but nobody came to mind as he wondered if their paths might have never crossed. Even the silver hair popping up from behind the mask wasn't helping. Iruka sighed as he waited for something to happen, yet nothing did.

"Why are you guys following me? Did I get myself in that much trouble?" he asked, hoping to get a straight answer, but instead got none.

"Nevermind," he continued as he rolled around the branch swinging before dropping a lower one to find his way to the ground. "Can you guys be a little less like stalkers? I'm sure some people are ok being watched like that, but honestly I'm not. So either hide or don't," Iruka chided, "And maybe less chasing me down next time." He looked back before he started off again towards his home.

* * *

Iruka sat under a tree, eating his lunch. After his parents died, he found eating with the other kids a bit depressing. Many of the parents had started putting more effort into their children, including making special lunches, but to Iruka it was just him learning to take care of himself. As he sat there, he heard a little rustling in the tree above him, which usually marked the appearance of his watchers. They seemed to make a point of when they were nearby, purposefully making noise for his sake.

When Iruka glanced up he noticed the dog-faced mask. Smiling he rustled through his lunch bag, pulling out an apple, and tossing it as high as he could, hearing the satisfying sound of the apple settling in the older boy's hand.

"Enjoy, and I promise not to look," Iruka said smiling up at the ANBU before he turned away and started eating his own food.

When the crunch of the apple filtered down to Iruka he straightened up, resisting the urge to look up excitedly to see if the ANBU was enjoying the snack. He continued on eating his own lunch, thinking about how he could talk more with the young ANBU. They hadn't really talked since their first meeting, but Iruka always took note of who was watching over him.

Iruka heard a rustle from above him waiting nervously for the ANBU to appear beside him. They looked at each other, almost waiting for someone to break the silence.

"Thanks for the apple," the ANBU said as he handed the apple core back to Iruka. The younger boy looked at the core, a little grossed out that someone would just hand their trash to him.

"Why?" he asked, holding up the core.

The ANBU straightened up, "I thought you might want to plant the seeds."

Iruka looked down at the core again. He'd never really thought about planting the seeds. Tears started rolling down his cheeks as he thought about his parents. Iruka could remember the days he and his mother would spend in the sun, planting and tending to her garden. His parents were strong shinobi, but to him they were just his parents, the people who cared for him, and he'd do anything if he could have them back.

Iruka could feel the ANBU's own nervousness, probably unsure of what had happened and seemed ready to do something to help. Iruka quickly wiped the tears from his eyes as he grabbed the ANBU's wrist and ran.

The boy could care less if they were seen, or how late he'd be for class, but he couldn't help himself. When they reached their destination Iruka slowed to a walk and he brought the ANBU with him around the house.

"This is my home," he explained before sitting down in the backyard. Iruka stretched as he pulled out a few trowels from under the porch, and handed one to his ANBU watcher. Without saying anything, he started digging a medium sized hole, noticing that he slowly got a little help. Iruka dropped the trowel to the side as he started picking the seeds out of the apple core, and setting them gently into the hole.

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at his quiet companion, almost hoping to see some different expression on the masked face. The silence hung in the air around them as they buried the seeds. Iruka jumped up to grab the watering can from where it had last been used, filling it just enough before coming back.

"Here," he offered the can to the ANBU, who took it cautiously. When he didn't move Iruka smiled. "It's okay, it'll be a new memory... a happy one."

The ANBU nodded as he lightly watered the mound of dirt.

Iruka took the can away putting it off to the side for his future use, as he thought of something that he should have asked earlier.

"Right! What can I call you?" Iruka stared at the other boy who stood unmoving. "I know that ANBU aren't exactly supposed to be known by other citizens, and names are supposed to be secrets, but I can't be calling you just ANBU forever."

When the ANBU said nothing Iruka sighed in disappointment. "Well if you change your mind, let me know what I can call you. Well, I should probably go back to class." Iruka waved as he ran back towards his classroom, knowing that his watcher would be right behind him.

* * *

As Christmas crept closer, Iruka felt the cold sink into him more than usual. It had only been a little over two months since the Nine-Tails attack, and it would be the first year without his parents. Iruka knew that he couldn't drag out his feelings of loneliness forever, but he was going to be feeling the pain for the rest of his life. This first year of being alone for everything would be the hardest, but Iruka was determined to act normal, just like everyone else.

After he walked home from academy for the day, he went around to the back of his house. There, a few feet from the house, sat the nearly plot of land that had always been his mother's garden. Although it wasn't much, there was a single plant waiting for him. It was just starting to sprout up, and Iruka wasn't ready to leave it alone. He felt that it held a precious memory for him, and even if he had to be out here multiple times each day, he'd do anything he could to make it survive the winter.

Whenever Iruka was working with the sapling he knew which ANBU was watching him. Even after two months he had yet to learn why they were watching him, which drove him nuts, but he took comfort in becoming friendly with one. The dog-masked ANBU was the only one who would talk directly to him, and once in a while would even help him tend to the sapling that they planted together, as if he was working to hold onto the memory just as much as Iruka was.

Iruka let the ANBU watch from his usual perch a few trees out, but just within sight. Iruka had recently made a structure from some scrap metal, bending them into a cylindrical shape around the sapling. He had a little help from the ANBU who heated up the pieces, and melted them together to make it even sturdier. It was crude, but it was just enough to wrap some plastic around to help protect it from the elements. He lifted the metal from the ground as he watered it lightly, making sure the soil was just damp enough and not over saturated. Learning through experience was something new for Iruka, though it was something that came with his daily life now.

The first few days of its sprouting his ANBU friend forcibly stopped him from drowning the poor sapling, and now he knew the right amount of water to keep the soil moist. Iruka resettled the metal and plastic structure around the plant, and put away his tools before making a large detour.

Instead of going into his empty home, Iruka had a nagging desire to visit the Memorial Stone. He often visited it with flowers for his parents, but today it was just a chance to be closer to them. He could hear the slight rustling of the ANBU above him, as a reminder to Iruka that he was still being followed. When he held the Stone in sight Iruka was actually glad to see it empty. He was used to always sharing it with at least one other person, but it was almost a comfort to be alone today.

"Hey Mom, Dad. I really miss getting to see you every day. I know it's probably not much easier on you, although I guess in some ways I'm glad you're at least together. I'm doing my best to stay healthy and happy, but it's hard...really hard-" Iruka talked to the Stone, as he had trouble continuing. He sat down, hugging his legs closer to his chest, just catching his breath. When he had fully calmed down Iruka said only one thing more, "I love you."

He sat there breathing in, finding comfort in the cold stone. When someone walked up beside him, Iruka was ready to get up to leave, but he was stopped by the soft hand on his shoulder. Iruka looked up to see the dog-masked ANBU standing beside him.

The older boy sat down next to Iruka. "Some of my most important people are immortalized on this stone also," he said, his tone softly consoling Iruka. It wasn't much, but the fact that the ANBU had chosen to speak first was special on its own.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Iruka said, smiling gently as he looked sideways at the masked face. He was always watching, waiting for the face to change, but it never did.

Iruka looked back at the stone and chuckled slightly, "Well at least you'll be getting a day off soon, I doubt the Hokage would keep you away from your family on Christmas."

"I don't have any family."

The silence rung out between them, Iruka too shocked to say anything more.

"They died long ago," he said. Iruka could tell it was meant to be comforting, although he felt nothing but guilt.

"I'm sorry, I guess it wasn't right of me to assume anything," Iruka replied. He continued sitting where he was, knowing he was right where he needed to be.

* * *

Iruka was waiting for any sign of his ANBU watcher, but he'd yet to see him.

"Maybe he really did get the day off," Iruka whispered to himself, feeling a hints disappointment as each minute passed. He looked around outside once again when he caught the barest hint of the silver hair that usually accompanied his friend. Running over to the tree he saw that he was right.

"Morning!" Iruka smiled up at the ANBU. "Did you want to come inside to get warm?" he asked knowing the day was on the edge of snowing.

"I really shouldn't, but it was kind of you to offer."

Iruka frowned, but relented to the rules that the ANBU was expected to follow. "I'll be right back then."

Iruka ran back inside to he find the paper-covered box on the table where he'd wrapped it a few days prior. Before heading back out he decided to package a small amount of cookies he'd received from his friends.

When he got back to the tree, Iruka stood below holding the two packages behind his back, hoping to intrigue the ANBU. The ANBU quirked his head, and Iruka watched as the ANBU studied him, curiously trying to look around him at the packages.

"If you want to know what they are you're going to have to come down at least," Iruka taunted.

Iruka was pleased when the ANBU went ahead and jumped down from the tree to stand face to face with him. Iruka smiled as he pulled the two packages out from behind his back.

"Well it isn't much, but I got this for you. I'm sure you're paid to watch me, but it's kind of a thank you for being my friend at the same time. And the cookies are just something for you to have if you're hungry, since you didn't want to come in."

The ANBU looked cautiously at the package, but Iruka had to offer it again before it was taken from his hands. He watched with anticipation as the ANBU slowly and delicately unwrapped the package. Once it was opened, Iruka waited to see how the ANBU would react. He couldn't see anything in the masked covered face, but knew emotion could be easily seen in body language.

When the package was fully opened the ANBU pulled out the bright red scarf and held it questioningly.

"I thought you might get a little cold having to sit outside all the time." The ANBU went ahead and wrapped it around his neck, which pleased Iruka to no ends.

"Well... Merry Christmas! And if you change your mind about coming in, you're always welcome," he said as he nervously scratched his cheek.

Iruka smiled one last time as he started walking back towards the house, only to get stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm known as Hound, but you have to promise never to tell anyone," the ANBU whispered in Iruka's ear, who nodded vigorously, taking the confession as his own version of a Christmas present.

Iruka was happy enough, until a gloved hand blocked his vision and he felt a soft pair of lips on his cheek. "Thank you for the presents, Iruka," Hound said before he disappeared back into the trees.

Iruka blushed furiously, hoping any passerby would assume it was the cold, as he quickly found his way back into the safety of his home, not really sure of what had just happened.

* * *

It was finally the day Iruka had looked forward to for the last year: his examination day. If Iruka passed his exam today, he would be assigned to a Genin team, and start his journey towards being a ninja of the leaf village. After his parents died, many people were questioning why he'd choose to fight for the village, but to Iruka, it was continuing in his parents' footsteps. Doing whatever it took to protect the people of his own village.

As he approached the academy, Iruka felt his stomach churning. What if they chose something he wasn't good at? Would he be able to follow the instructions as he was asked?

Iruka tripped on his own feet, falling flat on his face, sighing as he pushed himself back up again. He saw a flash of silver and red in the trees, which gave him the confidence he needed.

"I'm already at the lowest point, nowhere to go but up," he muttered to himself as he quickened his pace towards his destination.

The students all lined up according to name and waited to be called in for their final examination. Iruka stood calmly in line, watching the other students talk to each other, some worrying about what their test would be while others acted as if they could care less. He saw some of the other students staring at him strangely; probably from the fact that he wasn't goofing off like usual, but this was more important than how his classmates saw him.

The line diminished student by student. Most exited victoriously, while others looked solemn. There was a sound barrier put up between the exit and the entrance so that nobody could give away the jutsu for the exam, but Iruka was confident he knew what it was, based on the reactions of the exiting students.

"Umino, Iruka," a voice called, as Iruka stood up straight and walked into the room. Once the door was closed he greeted the teachers properly, and waited to be told what to do.

"Please perform a transformation jutsu for us. First, into one of the teachers here, and then into your most inspirational person," one of the three teachers said as he placed a paper down in front of him.

Iruka looked at the teachers. Although one teacher was his own, he saw another sitting there with some very distinct features that he thought would be interesting. In a poof of smoke Iruka disappeared and there stood a duplicate of that teacher, almost perfect down to the loose bandages on his legs. Iruka undid the jutsu, and stood there, unsure of who to turn into next.

It wasn't that he couldn't think of someone inspirational to him, just that there were too many. He would gladly say either of his parents, but it almost felt like cheating. He even had a flash of Hound in his mind, but knew that wouldn't be appropriate since he wasn't even supposed to know of the ANBU's existence.

"Umino, we need your second transformation," his teacher stated firmly. Iruka nodded, before disappearing into smoke for the second time.

When the smoke cleared there stood the Third Hokage, pipe and all. Iruka had sometimes seen the man at the Memorial Stone; the Hokage always treated him kindly, and pushed him forward in his goals. The man was almost like a grandparent to Iruka, and it was quite fitting to show the teachers that the Hokage was important to him.

The teachers looked at each other before turning back to Iruka smiling. "Congratulations, Iruka. You are now a Genin."

Iruka's started fidgeting as he was almost in disbelief of the news. "Really? Thank you, thank you!" He bowed properly before accepting the headband that was held out to him.

"Report to your classroom in the morning to get your team assignment. The graduation ceremony will be held this afternoon at three," the teacher said before dismissing the new Genin.

Iruka walked out of the classroom and was quick to burst into a run as soon as he was out of the academy doors. He just ran, not sure where, but let his feet take him to where he needed to go.

When Iruka stopped he was at his own home, slowly walking towards the sapling growing in the garden. He realized that the first person he wanted to tell was none other than Hound, but he wasn't even sure if the other boy was around. Iruka smiled at the ground as he tried to assemble his thoughts. He still wasn't quite sure what it was about Hound that caught his attention, but he felt like he needed the other boy. When Iruka's feet stopped he was looking down at the small growing garden around the now knee high tree, and a small package that sat under the sapling.

Iruka knelt down as he picked up the pouch that held a small note on its drawstring. _Congrats on your promotion._

It was a simple note with no signature, but Iruka was sure he knew the gift giver. When Iruka pulled open the small pouch, he laughed at what he saw. He stuck his hand inside pulling out a single cookie from within. Guessing this was a reflection of the treats he handed to Hound on Christmas, Iruka put it to his mouth and took a bite. He quickly scrunched his nose, and swallowed what was in his mouth, looking at the cookie more carefully. The treat was a little less than appetizing, and that wasn't just from the burnt marks that riddled the bottom. He guessed that the batch of cookies that were contained in this package were quite probably the first that Hound had ever made.

Iruka was no culinary expert; he'd messed up quite a few batches when he first started out that he noticed some of the same mistakes. Iruka quickly looked around and stuffed the rest of the cookie in his mouth, as he bowed his thanks towards the woods in case Hound was there watching. The simple treat meant a lot to Iruka, and the failure of the cookies meant even more. Hound had done something out of his comfort zone, just for Iruka's sake, something that nobody had done for him since his parents had died.

Iruka dropped the cookies off on the counter inside the house before he ran back to the academy for the ceremony. He listened to the teachers speak about the students and their accomplishments, along with the list of those graduating.

At the end the headmaster dismissed the students to enjoy the time with their parents, after congratulating them all once again. Iruka smiled softly as he watched his classmates greet their parents happily celebrating together. He looked around, as Iruka knew what he needed. Slowly Iruka made his way to the Memorial Stone, walking up to it proudly.

"It's me again. Sorry I didn't bring any flowers. But I brought something a little different to share with you this time," Iruka said excitedly as he held his headband out in front of the Stone as if presenting it. "I passed the exam. I know it's probably sooner than you would have wanted me to move on to Genin, but I really want to help Konoha. I want to grow up and protect the people here, just like you did. Thanks for protecting me." Iruka tied the headband to his head, smiling at the stone, "Love you, and I promise to be back soon."

* * *

Iruka groaned as he got home, dropping his satchel and weapons pouch on the back porch and collapsed to the ground by the growing tree. It had been almost a year since he was promoted to Genin, and it seemed like it was the same missions over and over again. Pick the weeds, get the cat out of the tree, go deliver this message to someone on the outskirts of town. It was boring stuff anyone could do, and yet it was so exhausting.

It also disappointed him that since his promotion, the times that he saw Hound diminished drastically. Iruka really missed the chance to talk with his friend, well mostly talk at, but his life seemed to be very lonely without the other teen. Iruka groaned as he rolled around on the ground until his face was practically buried in the grass.

"The D-Rank missions may be a little dull, but they really are important to the functionality of our town," a voice said; the distinct voice Iruka had been wanting to hear.

"Hound!" Iruka jolted up from the ground. "It wasn't just those…" he replied a little embarrassed that the other teen saw right through his feelings, "I guess it's just been a little dull all around, we haven't really had much time to just talk."

"Talk? We didn't really do much of that before, but the ANBU surveillance of you has diminished since you now have a Jounin teacher teaching you for a majority of your day." Hound revealed, as if he was thinking out loud.

"Well, you know you are always welcome to come help me tend to the tree," Iruka said hopefully, hoping to keep some of the connection that they shared.

"What do you think I'm doing now?" Hound asked curiously.

"You're here to see me? I thought you were on duty," Iruka said surprised.

"Well, I guess I technically am on duty, but it's why I'm over here and not over there," Hound said as he pointed towards the tree line.

Iruka shrugged, accepting the explanation, as he grabbed the tools he knew were needed to work on the tree. The two sat, pruning the tree, as Iruka shared tales from his missions.

Iruka found that the years passed by rapidly. He grew alongside his teammates, and watched as his friends continued on through their promotions. Iruka, although not quite making it through the Chunin exams with his Genin team, continued to learn and grow.

It had been a tough few weeks that Iruka had just gone through, making it quite far in the Chunin competition. He didn't make it to the final match, but had been really close to beating his opponent. Now he sat under his tree, waiting to hear what would become of him next. Would anyone make Chunin this year, or would all be seen unfit, just as it happened his team's first year? It was nerve wracking, but it was all about the waiting.

One of the Hokage's assistants appeared before him in a poof of smoke.

"This is for you," the woman said as she handed over a piece of paper, before disappearing once again.

He opened the letter, not caring if anyone overheard him reading it out loud. "Dear Iruka. You have successfully been promoted to Chunin rank," Iruka stopped, excitedly rereading the sentence multiple times before he continued on. "The Kages have agreed that your keen attention to your opponents movements, and the traps set against them are a valuable skill that we looked forward to seeing improved. Tomorrow afternoon you are to report to the Hokage office for your new assignment."

Taking a deep breath in to calm himself, Iruka let out a single shout of happiness, "YES!" He collapsed on the ground, sighing in relief; he was able to continue on his path.

Iruka rolled his head to one side, noticing a small package close by. He lifted the parcel and saw a note awaiting him.

_Congratulations Iruka, I knew you were capable of anything. It was a pleasure watching your mind work though out the exam._

Iruka blushed at the complement, opening up the parcel to see cookies awaiting him once again. Polite as Iruka was brought up to be he reached his hand inside and pulled out a single cookie to taste. Biting into it, Iruka was amazed at the difference since the last batch. It had been almost five years, but Hound must have learned a lot in that time. Iruka was happy to eat another as he lazed in the sun ready for anything in the world to come his way.

* * *

"I want to become a teacher," Iruka said to the Third Hokage.

"Are you sure? It's very difficult," Hiruzen warned Iruka.

"I know, but nothing would make me happier than to teach those that work to protect Konoha, and to pass on the Will of Fire to each and every student that I teach," Iruka smiled, knowing he was making the right choice for him.

"I'm sure you'll do well as an Academy teacher, and there's nobody I'd rather recommend," the Hokage said, returning the smile with pride.

* * *

"Hound, Wolf, Boar. As you know, Umino Iruka has passed the tests to become an academy teacher. With his progression I have no questions of his loyalty or feelings for this village. I no longer feel the need to have you watch him. Thank you for taking on this mission from the beginning. Although it has been a long one, it was something I needed to be sure of. No report is needed, you are dismissed."

* * *

Iruka stood underneath the tree that stood in his backyard. It was planted almost ten years ago, and it still held quite a bit of emotion for him. It had grown tall, covering a large section of the backyard with scattered shade. When he turned around Iruka saw a familiar ANBU figure.

"Congratulations Iruka," Hound said softly.

"Thank you," Iruka replied, chuckling at his own thoughts, "You actually came to tell me in person this time, the last two times have just been cookies and a note, although I can't say I'm disappointed with the personal touch." The wide smile on his face immediately dropped. When he was with Hound he always stared at the mask wanting for some change of expression, but this time he didn't need that change to tell him something wasn't right.

"Is something wrong Hound?" Iruka asked, not sure if he really wanted to hear the answer.

Hound shook his head, but didn't seem willing to speak. Iruka frowned at the suspicious behavior, but let the other man decide what was appropriate to tell. Hound stepped closer to Iruka. He put a hand on Iruka's shoulder, and rested the other on the headband. Confused, but trusting, Iruka felt his headband being pushed downward, gently slipping over his eyes. Iruka let the darkness settle over him.

Just as the silence was starting to get to Iruka, he felt lips upon his own in a chaste kiss. Iruka's hands reached for Hound's shoulders. He leaned into the kiss, letting it grow into something deeper. He felt a tongue lap at his lips, and he parted them just enough to let the tongue slip through into his own mouth. He met the tongue with his own, before it was slowly pulled away. There was another chaste kiss was place upon his lips before he felt the hot breath near his ear.

"Goodbye Iruka," Hound said, before he was gone. Iruka lifted his headband as fast as he could, but there was nobody. No tracks leading away. Nothing.

Iruka dropped to his knees as he tried to piece together what had happened. But the simple fact remained; Hound was gone.

* * *

A few days ago the Hokage had mentioned how wonderful it was when Iruka smiled, and promptly tricked Iruka into taking a mission desk job. Iruka could still hear the words echoing in his head.

"Your smile is so wonderful, I'm sure you'd love to share it with more people," Iruka mimicked to himself as he headed for his new post. "And I just had to say 'Of Course!' Who needs more work? Well I sure didn't." Iruka had been working for the last year in student teaching, with only a few months ahead of him before he took on his own classroom, he was sure that this would be the death of him.

He stopped in his tracks, taking in a deep breath before he looked forward.

"I guess it really isn't that bad, and I do enjoy welcoming people home from their missions." Iruka knew it was the right choice in the end, even if he felt tricked into it.

Walking into the mission room, Iruka greeted the returning shinobi as well as the other desk-workers. After he sat down he started taking a handful of mission reports, thanking the shinobi for their hard work.

"Thank you. Next." Iruka called out, as the next in line walked up to his spot. It was someone he had noticed around town, yet had only heard of, never met.

"Welcome back," Iruka said as he forced himself to tear his eyes away from the man that stood in front of him. It was the striking silver hair that always drew him in, it was distinctive and always reminded Iruka of Hound.

"You're a new face here. It's always nice to see a smile when coming back," Hatake Kakashi said.

Iruka sat shocked still for a few long moments. That voice was unmistakable; he could recognize it anywhere. The words that Kakashi spoke were drowned out by Iruka's thoughts. He had found Hound.

Iruka shook his head as he apologized, "I'm sorry, I missed that."

Kakashi paused for a moment, before replying in a new tone, "It's a lovely day for gardening wouldn't you say?"

Iruka broke out of his daze and nodded. He hoped that he read Kakashi's signals right.

"Thank you for your hard work," Iruka replied, and watched as Kakashi quickly disappeared from the room.

* * *

When his shift was over, Iruka could barely keep it all together. He just had to get home. It wasn't that far, but it felt miles away and his brain just wouldn't work properly. Iruka rounded around the back of the house, seeing a figure waiting for him under the tree. Within seconds Iruka dropped his satchel and ran toward the tree.

"It is you…" Iruka said breathily.

Kakashi just smiled through the mask, scratching the back of his head. "I didn't exactly think our paths would cross so easily or soon."

Iruka stared into Kakashi's eyes, "I would have looked forever for you. You probably wouldn't have stayed around all that time if I'd realized how I felt back then."

Kakashi sighed, "I shouldn't have stayed around, knowing how I felt. The whole town knows I'm a little lacking in my social skills, but even I know that the kiss was more than just being friendly."

"You should know I don't care… so can you just be back in my life now?" Iruka asked, barely waiting for a nod from the other man before he closed the gap between them, kissing Kakashi through the mask.

"My mission to watch over you is over, you know…" Kakashi said after they parted.

"Does that matter?"

"Not at all," Kakashi smirked as he pulled down his mask to kiss Iruka once again.


End file.
